Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra opened up on the rumours about Gautam Gambhir being removed as India’s head coach in Tests if they don’t perform well in the BorderGavaskar Trophy 2024-25 are baseless. He said that replacing the recently appointed head coach in the longest format would be premature as well. However, this came after New Zealand handed India a 3-0 defeat in a recent three-match Test series.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “It is being said that Gautam Gambhir was grilled for six hours. Not just him, the captain was also there with him. A lengthy discussion took place to understand where are things going wrong, why such pitches are being made, and why players are playing like this. There are also rumors that if things don’t go well in the BGT, separate coaches will be seen in different formats. So soon?” he said.
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“I am saying the rumor will be absolutely baseless. I see it as a rumor floated around with a slight malicious intent because he has just been appointed. It doesn’t happen that the coach is fired or separate coaches are made for different formats if the players don’t do well. I don’t agree with that at all. It’s a little too early. So I am discarding that,” Chopra again added.
However, Aakash Chopra also acknowledged that the Board of Control for Cricket in India would have had a lengthy discussion with the head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma as it’s regular practice as well.
“The meeting happened and it’s been reported by PTI. It went long where the pitches, the team’s strategy, and the future blueprint were discussed. It is not new. Gautam Gambhir’s young coaching career is working in absolutes, either you win 3-0 or lose 0-3. However, questions being asked is not a new thing,” he said.
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“One thing definitely happened. The BCCI did whatever Gautam Gambhir asked for. He got the staff he wanted. He said he wanted (Virat) Kohli and Rohit (Sharma) to play in the ODI series against Sri Lanka and they asked them to play. Then he has been given the liberty to prepare the pitches he wants. In fact, if reports are to be believed, whatever he said on the selection table has been agreed to. When so many things happen, accountability is obvious. The 0-3 defeat against New Zealand has hurt, and that is why this discussion,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
